Ebrahim Yazdi released by Islamic Republic

Ebrahim Yazdi, the secretary general of the Iranian reformist party Freedom Movement, was released from detention by Islamic Republic authorities this morning.

Ebrahim Yazdi

The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports that Yazdi who had been in prison and later in a "safe house" since last September, was released this morning.

IRNA adds that Yazdi has resigned from the leadership of the Freedom Movement Party and prepared an announcement that will be issued soon. There are no details about the contents of this announcement.

Yazdi was last arrested in September along with a number of other executive members of his party at a funeral in Esfahan, which the state has referred to as "illegal Friday prayers."

While all the detainees from that funeral were released the following day, Yazdi was held and was supposed to stand trial on March 13 for "activities against national security, propaganda against the regime and founding of the Freedom Movement Party." Yazdi is not, however, a founding member of this organization.

Yazdi's trial was postponed last week for the third time, and his lawyer, MohammadAli Dadkhah said: "The head of court has told me that the investigations are not complete and, therefore, the file has been forwarded to the prosecutor's office for further investigation."

The Freedom Party was founded about 50 years ago. After the 1979 Revolution its members took part in the interim government but later fell out with the Islamic Republic establishment. The organization was banned after the death of Ayatollah Khomeini.

The 80-year-old Yazdi was the oldest political prisoner held in Iran, and during his incarceration, his health was of grave concern to his family and friends. During his incarceration, he was once transferred to hospital and later moved from Evin Prison to the so-called "safe house," which is run under the supervision of Islamic Republic intelligence and security forces.